Senate summons Kachikwu, Baru over fuel scarcity

The Senate Committee on Petroleum Downstream has summoned the minister of state for petroleum, Ibe Kachikwu and the group managing director of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, Maikanti Baru over the lingering

The decision of the committee was sequel to the directive by Senate President Bukola Saraki urging the senators to suspend their recess and tackle the fuel scarcity crisis head-on.

Chairman of the committee, Kabiru Marafa disclosed this in Abuja on Thursday, December 28, 2017.

Other relevant stakeholders in the petroleum sector are expected to attend the meeting scheduled for Thursday, January 4, 2018.

The minister of petroleum, President Muhammadu Buhari was, however, not invited by the Senate.

ALSO READ: 10 ships laden with petrol to arrive in Lagos ports

Senator Marafa further added that the meeting which would be held at the Senate Hearing Room 221 and its proceedings aired live on the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), “is meant to address the lingering fuel scarcity bedevilling the nation in the last few weeks with a view to put a complete stop to the unsavoury development.”

The Senate, which is presently on Christmas and New Year break is billed to resume Committee work for the 2018 budget defence on January 9, and commence plenary on January 16.